POLITICAL ADDRESS.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1212, 17 December 1919, Page 5

POLITICAL ADDRESS.

MR J. HOBIS' AT ALEXANDRA

The Mayor (Mr W. Black) presided over a good meeting in the Town Hall last Wednesday to hear a political address from Mr J. Horn, the Liberal candidate for this electorate. In introducing the candidate the chairman referred to Mr Horn's connection as a business man with the northern portion of the electorate. He had at Banuockburn and later at Dunedin always taken a prominent part iu public affairs. Mr Horn was cordially greeted on rising to address the meeting.

—Points from the Address —

Twelve years ago he had appeared as a candidate in the contest for the Tuapeka electorate. He thanked the public of Alexandra for the splendid vote given to him on that occasion. Th • candidate piid a generous tribute to the services of the yauhg men of the Dominion who had fought the Empire's battles.

Beferriiig to party politic*, he said ; that he stood as a Liberal aud was not j ashamed of the splendid record of that great party. Iu the event of circumi stances arising similar to what existed about o years ago wheu the two great parties were evenly divided, —he reserved _the right to voto for an elective executive, so that the best men in the House eoul-J be ehoscn to form a ministry, irrespective of party. On education, he favoured a free, secular and compulsory system. He advocated better facilities for the young promising ehildren receiving higher education, with cjual opportunities in this matter for all, rich or poor. Mount Pisa is to be cut up in 1921. Proposed to cut up into eleveu blocks. It is understood that a Washing Up Bill gave a government department other than the Laud Board power to «di*n»te Crowi. Lands. There is something wrong when a government department cau alienate Crown lands aud give the same over to a largo syndicate at a valuation of 12a an acre. The same lind is similar to the land which this : syndicate is valuing on its own property at £3O per acre, and the right to irrigate j at a rent of 35s per acre per annum. Dealing with the serious financial position the candidate was optimistic as to the ability of the Dominion to weather j the stress and storm. Half of our indebtedness was reproductive. i Eighty live per cent of the land in Vincent County belong to the Crown j and leased to tenants, the Crown draw nig the rents. Better treatment of the large County Councils is needed in the way of straight-out grants for road and bridge maintenance so that more ot the nuances of the county would be available for other urgent works.

Only Switzerland aud Norway can compete with New Zealaud in the water power availab'e. New Zealand could become a great manufacturing country. In this matter the South Island must not wait till the North Island had spent the sis millions on hydro-electric development. To do so would put the South Island ten years behind the North, Trith s. further reduction in population and reduced parliamentary representation.

Dealing with the cost of living, and tße probability of a great scarcity of wheat and a dear loaf, he advocated increasing the bonus to millers to keep the loaf at the present price, as bread was one of the necessities of every family. He advocated imposing a substantial super-tax which would ease the revenue of the country, and at the put a check on profiteering. The candidate favoured nationalisation of the bituminous coal of the Dominion but not of the housing or lignite coal which are not so precious. The Ferry Boat service should also b3 nationalised. The Union S.S. Company was no longer & colonial company. He advocated the nationalising of the sugar industry. Fifty thousaud acres are plantcl as orchards in the Dominion and ought to be protected agaiusfc shortage of sugar for preserving and jam manufacturing It was necessary to have a regular and constant supply of sugar. To get the Dominion's produce to the best markets, the Government ought to arrange linn charters with the shipping companies, and failing such an arrangement, then the sooner wc start to build our uwn ahip? the bettor. He emphasised the present unfairness towards the miner in refusing him a better price for gold, when the price of that metal was of so much more valu? on the open market. The blaekbloelc settler should get as fair aud eqoal treatment in regard to the delivery of mails as the dwellers in the city. The following nucsiious were aake.i: C Murphy: Did the candidate favour ! interference with the National Endowment lauds, tha reveune from which went to pay old age pensions etc. Answer: >"o, the present arrangement should be left alone.

H. Werner: What did the candidate propose lo do to prevent land aggregation.

Answer: All large holdings near the railway must be cut up for closer settlement.

Xeil Davidson: Did the candidate suggest that the Prime Minister wilfully mus-stated the position in regard to Mount Piia.

Answer: Xo; it was possible he was not acquainted with the full facts. Further' Mr Horn related a conversation he had had recently with Sir W. Fraser in the presence of the mayor of Arrowtown. In that conversation Sir W. Fraser admitted that the license in the Wardens Court and the endorsement thereon practically gave the land over to the Cromwell Development Co. Sir William did not say that the endorsement would be concealed by' the Government, go in the absence of this cancellation the Cromwell- Development Coy. .still held the right to the land.

X. Davidson: la the event of the Labour Party giving their support to Sir Jos. Ward what would the candidates position be in regard to a motion of no confidence in the Massey government. Answer: If Sir Jos. Ward was dependent on the official labour support to put the Massey government out of office, he (the cumulate) would refuse to vote with Sir Joseph in such circumstances•—

B. M'Carthy: Did tbe caudidate admit there was no difference between the two parlies..

Answer: There is a difference, and the proposed treatment of national endowment lauds was a case in point. C. M'lntosh: Would the candidate favour an extension of totalisator permits to trotting clubs. Answer: Would want to kuow first the present proportion as between the North and South Islands- The Dunstan racecourse was one of the oldest, and deserved a permit. Mr A. W. Whittlesfcon moved a vote of thanks to the candidate for his able and interesting address.—Seconded by Mr C. E. Kichards and carried with acclamation. A similar compliment to (he ui;iyjr for presiding closed the nieetiug.